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OPINION

As Indian Point shutdown looms, Murphy takes steps to protect Buchanan: Letter

Contributed
Published 7:00 p.m. ET March 21, 2018

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Dennis Malles, of Malles Auto Body in Montrose and the Montrose Business Association, talks about the future of local businesses after the closure of the nearby Indian Point Energy Center nuclear power plant.
Peter Carr/lohud

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The Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant in Buchanan May 9, 2017.(Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)Buy Photo

Ever since the three men, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Entergy and Riverkeeper, in a room on the Hudson announced they had cooked up the hurried closing of Indian Point, the feeling of impending doom has been palpable in the neighborhoods, schools and towns surrounding the plant. If it weren’t for state Sen. Terrence Murphy, R-Yorktown, no one would have our backs in Albany.

Where once there was confidence in a comfortable future, we are left with questions and fear. Small businesses wonder who will buy their goods and services. School administrators fear lack of funding for programs and facilities. Residents are watching their home values slip as their taxes and energy costs endlessly rise.

From the day of the announcement that the plants would close by 2021 and ever since, Murphy has consistently held Albany’s feet to the fire to demand a plan to look after those of us who will be most impacted by the rushed closing of the plant.

While the governor has chosen to basically ignore the issue in his proposed budget (and it was his idea to shut it down) true to his word, Murphy has made sure that two major items appear in the Senate’s version of the budget:

A measure that would hold the line on increases in property taxes in municipalities surrounding the plant, due to the eventual lost revenue when Indian Point shuts down.

A budget item that would retain as many jobs as possible by using the current Indian Point workers, where possible, to shut down and eventually decommission the plant.